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How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10)

This wikiHow teaches you how to view previews of images in your Windows 10 computer's folders. While photo previews should be enabled by default, some Windows 10 versions may inadvertently disable them. You can enable previews from within...
Method 1 of 2:

Enabling Image Previews

  1. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 1How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 1
    Open File Explorer
    How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 2How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 2
    . Click the folder-shaped File Explorer icon at the bottom of the screen, or press ⊞ Win+E.
    1. If File Explorer isn't at the bottom of the screen, you can also click Start
      How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 3How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 3
      , type in file explorer, and click File Explorer at the top of the menu.
  2. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 4How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 4
    Open your folder. Using the File Explorer's left-hand column of folders, navigate to the folder in which you want to enable image previews.
  3. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 5How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 5
    Click the View tab. It's in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window. A toolbar will drop down from the top of the window.
  4. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 6How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 6
    Click the Options icon. This icon is in the upper-right corner of the window and resembles a white box with checkmarks on it. Clicking it prompts a pop-up window to appear.
  5. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 7How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 7
    Click the View tab. It's at the top of the pop-up window.
  6. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 8How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 8
    Uncheck the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" box. You'll find this in the "Files and Folders" section near the bottom of the window.
    1. If you don't see this box, first double-click the "Files and Folders" heading to cause it to appear.
    2. If this box is already unchecked, you may have to fix a corrupted thumbnail cache first.
  7. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 9How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 9
    Click Apply, then click OK. Both options are at the bottom of the window. Doing so will apply your settings and close the window.
  8. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 10How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 10
    Make sure your folder is displaying the proper viewing option. In order to see thumbnail previews, your folder must display files and folders using a supported viewing option (e.g., Extra large icons). To change the current view setting, do the following:
    1. Click the View tab.
    2. Click one of the following "Layout" options: Extra large icons, Large icons, Medium icons, Tiles, or Content.
Method 2 of 2:

Fixing Corrupted Previews

  1. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 11How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 11
    Know when this is necessary. Windows 10 keeps a cache of thumbnails for every one of your computer's files; if this cache becomes corrupted, your folders' images may not properly display. If you've tried enabling image previews already, clearing the thumbnail cache may solve your problem.[1]
  2. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 12How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 12
    Open Start
    How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 13How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 13
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 14How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 14
    Open Disk Cleanup. Type in disk cleanup, then click Disk Cleanup when it appears at the top of the Start window. A pop-up window will open.
    1. You may have to click the Disk Cleanup icon when it appears in the taskbar to bring up the pop-up window.
  4. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 15How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 15
    Scroll down and check the "Thumbnails" box. You can uncheck every other box in the main window, but the "Thumbnails" box must be checked.
  5. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 16How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 16
    Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window.
  6. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 17How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 17
    Click Delete Files when prompted. Doing so will prompt Disk Cleanup to begin deleting your computer's thumbnails from the cache.
  7. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 18How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 18
    Wait for your thumbnails to finish deleting. This can take several minutes, especially if you've never deleted thumbnails before. Once the pop-up window disappears, you can proceed.
  8. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 19How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 19
    Open your preferred folder. Go to the folder in which you wanted thumbnails to appear. After a moment of refreshing, your pictures' previews should begin to show up.
  9. How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 20How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10) Picture 20
    Enable image previews if necessary. If thumbnails still aren't showing, you may need to disable the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" setting and ensure that your folder is using the proper viewing option.
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